Thomas f



' (No Model.)

v T-. F. UASADV TOBAUUO CUTTER;

No. 289,975. Patented Dec. 1-1, 1883. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. CASAD, OF YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO.

TOBACCO-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,975, dated December 11, 1883.

Application filed June 15.1se3. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. CASAD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yellow Springs, in the county of Greene and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cutting tobacco or other materials.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide means novel and simple for producing a longitudinal as well as vertical move-' ment of the knife-blade; second, to provide for readily removing the knife-blade to sharpen or clean the same.

The various features of my invention will be more fully explained in the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a side elevation of my device with the handle or lever thrown back and the knife-blade raised for the insertion of the article to be cut. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the same with one side of the frame removed and the lever and knife-blade down. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my device with the lever and blade in the position shown in Fig. 2.

A represents the base or block upon which the cutter is mounted; B B, theside plates or frames of the cutter; O, the cutter-blade; D,

the lever for operating the same.

E represents inclined slots or ways out in the side plates or frames, which slots or ways are open at their upper ends to permit the cutter-blade to be removed, as hereinafter explained; e, pins or studs on the cutting-blade, sliding in said slots in side plates, B; F, rackteeth on the back of blade 0.

G is a segmental gear on the end of lever D, the teeth of which mesh with rack-teeth F.

H represents a bridge reaching over slot E, and notched, as shown in Fig. 3, to allow the passage of studs or pins 6 from the frame.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to use the cutter, lever D is raised, as shown by arrow in Fig. 2, thus rotating segmental gear G, which, meshing with rack-teeth F, causes the cutting-blade G to move backwardand upward in slots or ways E. The parts then assume the position shown in Fig. l. The article to be cut is placed under knife 0 and the lever is rotated, as indicated by arrow 1 in Fig. 1. The gear G, meshing with rack-teeth F, causes the blade 0 to move backward and downwardtill it is stopped by contact with the base-block A. In practice this longitudinal movement of the blade is very advantageous, as it secures a clean out and'requires much less power than if the knife came vertically down'upon the article to be cut.

When the blade 0 becomes gummed and dirty, or when it is dulled, it may readily be removed as follows: Lever D is thrown clear back, as indicated by arrow 2 in Fig. 1, so as to cause the end of blade 0 to extend beyond the frame 13 and raise gear G from contact with rack-teeth F. This allows blade 0 to be withdrawn from frame B and sharpened or cleaned at the will of the operator.

It is obvious that instead of having the slots in the frameand studs on the blade, as shown, I might use a groove in the frame and either studs on a rib on the sides of the blade, or I could provide grooves in the blade and either studs or ribs on the frame.

I am aware that a paper-cutter has been composed, essentially, of a supporting-frame having at each end an attached plate provided with an inclined slot, a knife placed between standards on the frame and provided with a horizontal rack on its upper edge, and with a friction-roller at each end to travel in the slots of the guide, and an cccentrically pivoted toothed segment engaging the rack, whereby as the knife descends or ascends it also moves longitudinally.

I am also aware that a tobacco-cutter has been composed of side plates, a knife-stock having a cross-pin at one end riding on inclined ends of the side plates, and having at the other end an inclined under side riding on a cross-pin of the said plates, and alever having a toothed end engaging teeth set at an inclination on the knife-stock, so that as the knife is ascended or descended it is also moved longitudinally. Such constructions, however, are not my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination, with a supporting-frame having an inclined slot, of a cutting-blade having ahorizontal cutting-edge, and an upper inclined edge having a raclgand provided with lateral pins arranged to travel in the inclined slot, and a lever pivoted to the supportingframe and having a pinion engaging the inclined rack, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the side plates, each having an inclined slot open atits upper end, a cutting-blade having an inclined rack at its upper edge and lateral pins arranged to travel in the slots, and a lever pivoted between the side plates, and having a pinion engaging the inclined1aek,said lever being adapted to swing back to disengage the pinion from the rack, thereby permitting the cutting-blade to be removed by its pins passing through the open ends of the slots, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

T. F. CASAD. \Vitnesses:

S. W. DAKIN, J. J. Tnonxrox. 

